02 Nov Virtual INTEREST is only 1 month away
With the 14th Annual INTEREST conference only one month away, the International Conference Committee has been hard at work planning presentations, virtual networking events, live poster presentations, and more. The main conference week will be held from November 30 – December 4 with a pre-conference week from November 23-27. This year’s conference, while virtual, will not disappoint! In fact, this year’s INTEREST will include Q&A sessions and virtual themed coffee breaks. Register now to hear up-and-coming abstract presenters discuss their research in HIV treatment, pathogenesis, and prevention, along with plenary talks from world-class scientific experts in research.
The annual INTEREST Conference is the premier scientific conference for HIV in Africa and brings together scientists involved in HIV research from around the world. Founded in 2006 by the late Prof. Joep Lange of the Amsterdam Institute for Global Health and Development (AIGHD) and Prof. Charles Boucher of Virology Education, the conference provides a unique opportunity for young researchers to present their work at an international conference, attend mentoring sessions with senior scientists, and network with their peers.
The conference, which was originally scheduled to take place in Windhoek, Namibia, is now virtual in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The INTEREST Conference is co-organized by AIGHD and Virology Education each year. This year, the Conference Co-Chairs are Prof. Catherine Hankins (scientific chair), Prof. Elly Katabira (co-chair) Anne-Marie Nitschke (local co-chair), and Dr. Ismael Katjitae (local co-chair).
This year, INTEREST has received a record number of submitted abstracts by young researchers, making the selection process extremely difficult. They were reviewed for scientific merit by members of the International Conference Committee, Emeritus Group, and the Local Organising Committee. Every year, the top-scoring abstract winners are given the opportunity to present their research in front of peers, researchers, and experts. Virtual INTEREST will continue to include plenary presentations by oral and mini-oral abstract winners, as well as discussions with poster presenters in a virtual setting.
In honour of the late Dr. Joep Lange, an award established in his name is given each year to the highest-scoring abstract submitted to the conference by an early-career African scientist.
This year, the INTEREST conference will also feature LIVE translations from English –> French –> English to include as many young researchers and participants as possible.
Follow the live updates during the conference, follow INTEREST on Twitter: @INTERESTconf and visit the INTEREST Conference website for the full scientific program.
Join us for virtual INTEREST 2020, we look forward to seeing you online.